Madeleine McCann: Ben Needham Is Missing, Operation Predator And Maddie’s Cops
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann.
DAILY EXPRESS front page: “McCanns warn: We’ll sue over claims we drugged our children”
Page 7: “Madeleine parents: We have never sedated our children” – The “slurs” are “outrageous” and “hurtful”.
The theory that they sedated all of their children is a “wild theory”. It appears in Portuguese newspaper 24 Horas, a source for “some of the more outlandish reporting”. The Express reproduces the outlandish reporting for its readers to digest and marvel at
“Grim hunt for images as child-porn ring is smashed” – Operation Predator is a clamp down on child porn in Portugal. A friend of the McCanns says: “This shows the scale of the problem in Portugal and appears to show that the Portuguese police seem to be looking in the right direction. It may provide vital leads”
But the raids were not directly connected with the Madeleine case. Operation Predator was six months in the planning
THE SUN front page: “Maddie: cop raid on pervs”
Page 7: “McCANNS’ DELIGHT AT PAEDO SWOOP” – Kate and Gerry McCann are “encouraged” that 300 Portuguese police “smashed” a 80-strong paedophile ring
“’FIND OUR KIDS TV’” – Kate and Gerry have backed a TV channel that features the 150,000 UK children that go missing each year. Pictures of missing children will be shown at GP surgeries, shopping malls and hospitals
Page 37: “MISSING BEN AGONY – We were too working class to get help like Maddie’s family” – The mother of Ben Needham, who disappeared 16 years ago on the Greek island of Kos – sees haves and have nots
“I was 19,” says Kerry Grist. “Just an ordinary girl from a council estate and people thought, ‘She will just go away in a few months, have another child and forget about it…I don’t think people thought Ben was important enough.” Or the media didn’t…
Kate McCann is a doctor. Gerry McCann is a heart specialist. Both Madeleine and Ben are blonde
DAILY MAIL page 5: “Huge porn swoop offers hope of a Maddie clue”
“Could Ben still be alive?” – Ben Needham disappeared from near his grandparents’ farm house
Says Mrs Grist, Ben’s mum: “Madeleine’s parents are middle class people with important jobs and seemed to have had a publicity machine behind them straight away”
DAILY MIRROR page 15: “WHY STAY IF SHE HAD SOMETHING TO HIDE?”
A pal of Kate McCann says: “She could not tear herself away [from Portugal]. What mother could leave the place where her daughter vanished? …If she had something to hide why would she hang around in Praia da Luz waiting for the police to come knocking on the door?”
We don’t know. Why?
DAILY STAR front page: “MADDIE POLICE ARREST 80 PAEDOS”
Madeleine McCann does not have her own police force – not yet. But the police working on one case are Portuguese, like the police in her case. It’s an “EXCLUSIVE”
Page 7: “MADDIE COPS RAID PAEDOS” – The Star sees Gerry McCann leaving his home in a car. “STRAIN” reads the caption
DAILY TELEGRAPH page 17: “Madeleine police turn spotlight back on paedophiles”
“Missing children TV hopes to jog patients’ memories” – Ben Needham is missing. Xiao Xiao is missing. Lee Thomas Wedge is missing. Leanna Petrenko is missing. Abigaile Sommerville is missing. Andrew Paul Gosden is missing
THE INDEPENDENT page 24: “Mother in plea to missing son” – Ben Needham is missing
THE TIMES page 11: “Madeleine police return to kidnap theory”
German and Dutch police are believed to have been asked to trace and interview guests staying at the Ocean Club when Madeleine went missing
THE GUARDIAN: No Madeleine news today
Posted: 11th, October 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,683) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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October 11th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Stevo thanks - as I said everything is possible - and we’re just putting theories to the test.
But the other element that I forgot to mention and challenges the theory of fatal accident is the timing. There would not be enough time to put up a good show, get buy-in from friends hide the body in a foreign country and get back to the dinner table.
October 11th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Another photo for all those that think the PJ do nothing in the search for Madeleine:
http://www.madeleinemccann.co.uk/index.php?option=com_easygallery&act=photos&cid=17&Itemid=20
October 11th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
sorry steveT missed your post
Yes I think that will probably be the case but we will never find out
explains nobody questioning that day, time for initial shock, grief etc…
Also why the body will be never found
October 11th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
439 Salomon ES Says, I am not suggesting they used sedatives, but I am not sure it can be dismissed on account that most parents wouldn’t consider it. Surely most parents wouldn’t leave their kids alone, either, but the McCanns have admitted to this.
If - and this is a large IF - they were involved in the disappearance, then it certainly would not be hard to imagine they also could contemplate using sedatives.
October 11th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
468 - Salomon ES
I would think that if you walked back to the room and saw your 3 yr old laying on the pavement with blood coming out of a head wound and no pulse, you’d be horrified initially. If your doctor’s instinct kicked in to try and save them, you’d pick up the body and go inside. Then you’d realise it was to no avail. Then at some stage you may realise that people would chastise you for not being there to supervise the child. You couldn’t claim that she just ran out while you were there. You’d have a tough time explaining it away and a death resulting from leaving kids alone would be enough to damage your career and reputation forever. See, if you play Russian Roulette with your kids’ lives and get away with it, nobody will say anything will they? It’s only when you get caught out it becomes an issue.
I’m not saying it’s my preferred theory before people pounce on me but I am willing to explore any possibility. That arch looks very high and assuming there was a table and chairs there then it would be very easy for a 3 yr old to climb on it and fall.
October 11th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Diamond in the rough
Jane Tanner (and presumably her partner Russell O’Brien) between them have *two* children. I think the older one was sick and vomiting? - not sure
October 11th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Salomon - some swingers may be family people.
Frankly - swingers or not - they cocked up, and i agree with you it’s not because they’re swinging about but for other reasons.
October 11th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Ramon
Yes I believe that’s right but it came in a lump…very strange….
Had they been hoping not to declare it (but needed to show movement for PR?)… or was it on person (i.e. not the “public as a whole”)?
Dunno … but like I said, not a barometer of sympathy in my view…
October 11th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
464 - Diamond in the rough
I did notice that and I also noticed that she says they are still stuck in the Midlands after updating the details in March ‘07.
I’m as shocked as you are that they’d leave a 10 month old baby vomiting in a room alone.
But…I thought this couple lived in Exeter? It says she was born there but they lived in the Midlands. Leicester is in the Midlands. The more you look at this lot, they all live/work there. Is Exeter a red-herring?
October 11th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
I thought they recently received a check for 57,000?
October 11th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
But Stevo, what could be the justification to hide the body? And surely someone would have seen her or heard her.
Everything is possible, but on a rational analysis of the facts that are known, abduction and death by accident are the least credible theories to explain Madeleine’s disapearance.
For very similar reasons; neither of these theories explains the odd patterns of behaviour of the parents and friends prior to Madeleine disappearance (including leaving children alone, unlocked doors etc.). And neither of these theories takes into account the possibility of a passer by having witnessed something or someone.
For the record, I don’t give any credit to the swingers’ theory either. You’d have to be pretty sick to take your mother and kids on holiday with you on a swinging contest… I presume…but maybe i’m just being conservative.
October 11th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
thanks brandoflour.
Ramon….they got the money from donations at the beginning, the tide’s been turning in the last two months, whenpeople have a) got sick of them, and b) started having suspicions about them.
The money’s clearly stopped coming (or being declared by the fund) I think if there was money still coming in the McCann’s would publicise it with a “public thank you” statement.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
cot death is still likely too
October 11th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Fiona Payne looks very like Madeleine doesn’t she?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Tony Bemmet says:
Jane Tanner
Member since: 14 Aug 01
Last update: 13 Mar 07
What I’m doing now…
Hometown: Exeter, Devon, England
Relationship status: Living with someone
Children: Two children
Worklife: Taking a career break
Working in Web design and Marketing in Leicester - not managed to escape the Midlands yet! Found a lovely man and last year we swapped the goldfish for a baby girl, Ella, who is one in June.
Did anyone see this what Tony B. posted earlier today??
If Jane Tanner’s post is correct - then her daughter was only1 in June 2007?? She left a child under 1 years old alone and throwing up while she was out playing with her pals on the 3rd of May?? Can someone clarify this? It says in Jane’s own words that her daughter Ella would be 1 yrs old in June. That would be June 2007 - one month prior to leaving her alone in the villa room - the night Madeleine went missing??
Feedback??
October 11th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
What would the position be if the priest who heard the (alleged) confession was to leave the priesthood. Even though morally he shouldn’t divulge the content of any confession, what would actually stop him from doing so?
I would imagine that mulling over such a dilemma would “trouble” any priest.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
see if my old name works
October 11th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Ramon maybe its just a few gullible grannies with lots of money, or well of swingers with guilt complexes that donate to that fund
October 11th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
453 - toni
I don’t even know you but I can sense your grief and you have my heartfelt commiserations for your loss. Why can I feel like that towards a comparative stranger in a blog but I feel nothing for Madeleine’s parents?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Anonymous it happened to me yesterday had to revamp my name
October 11th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Anon the 1st how to explain the donations if there really isn’t much public support?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
God…that was hard work!!!
October 11th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Last bit….
a) the entire press pack is too stupid/lazy/naive to see and report what the public sees
OR
b) they’ve been clearly told what to say…..
Is there a third option I’m missing???
October 11th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Damn… won’t let me post second half
Of course there’s no proof it’s true as the posters could be making it up, but it seem more logical given that we polls show most people suspect them, and none of the press coverage doesn’t reflect this position even slightly, ergo;
October 11th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Ben
barrymore lol
I wish Gerry worried about what he writes as much as you do
October 11th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Now 2nd bit
Of course there’s no proof it’s true as the posters could be making it up, but it seem more logical given that we polls show most people suspect them, and none of the press coverage doesn’t reflect this position even slightly, ergo;
a) the entire press pack is too stupid/lazy/naive to see and report what the public sees
OR
b) they’ve been clearly told what to say…..
October 11th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
stevo, 445, in total agreement, its just not there with them is it, the only person who seems genuine and really distressed is Kates father,
I have lost a child she was 6 weeks old and it was 13 years ago, but even now typing this I am in tears, the pain never goes away
October 11th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I just noticed the photo of the steps leading up to the apartment and realised there’s an arch on the same side of the street. There’s two arches coming off the patio. One faces the steps (pool direction) and the other faces the street. It looks dangerously high to me, such that if Madeleine had wandered out onto the patio and climbed on a chair or table, she’d be able to fall out of that arch onto the street below. Now that really would be a hard and most likely fatal fall…
Look how high the arch is:
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00363/snf04cop3384_363061a.jpg
October 11th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
2nd half of message….
Of course there’s no proof it’s true as the posters could be making it up, but it seem more logical given that we polls show most people suspect them, and none of the press coverage doesn’t reflect this position even slightly, ergo;
a) the entire press pack is too stupid/lazy/naive to see and report what the public sees
OR
b) they’ve been clearly told what to say…..
Is there a third option I’m missing???
October 11th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
I’ll try cutting the message in two then…
Will Says:
“maybe because so many of the british media are shallow, amoral, braindead, coiffered (sp?) scum.”
It’s interesting that a number of posters on the Mirror boards have been saying that most people in the media sector now suspect them, but “editorial policy” has been clearly defined. One mentions that they know they won’t work again in the industry if they don’t tow the line.